6 Simple Steps to Make Your Knees Feel Great
Knee pain doesn’t have to slow you down. There are many ways to naturally relieve knee pain, and get your joints moving the way they should. Here are some tips to help your knees feel great: 1.Stretchyour inner thighs– Theadductormuscleson the inner thighscan tighten over time. This increases the pressure on the inner aspect of the knee. Try this stretch; in standing with your feet apart, keep one foot flat on the floor, then lean away bending the opposite knee. Feel the stretch on the inner thigh but be gentle! Hold for a good 30 seconds and repeat 3-5 times in a row on both sides. 2.Getyourkneecapmoving– Freelymovingpatellas (kneecaps),areasignofgood knee health. In a sitting position with your leg out straight, hold onto your kneecap and gently push it down towards your toes and back up towards your head. This should not hurt! Repeat 10 times each direction and then do side to side. Repeat 2-3 times in the day. 3. Strengthen your hip and quadricep muscles – Do exercises to strengthen the outerhipandyourgluteusmuscles.Thestrongeryourhipsare, thebettersupported your knees are. In addition, doing knee extension exercises while sitting helps to strengthen the quadriceps muscles, which help to support the knee joints. Talk to your physical therapist about which exercises are right for you. 4. Go walking – Sitting for prolonged periods leads to stiffening and weakening of thewholebody, especially the lower legs.Try togetoutandconsistentlywalk20-30 minutes a day. Start with a time that you can tolerate and never push through pain.
5. Ice and heat – Heat helps with circulation flow and feels great to soothe arthritic knees. A hot soak in the bath can go a long way to soothing aching knees. However, if your knees tend to swell after being on your feet for too long, use an icepack wrapped in a pillowcase for about 10-15 minutes. This reduces inflammation; be sure to check your skin regularly to make sure it does not get very red. 6. Get a regular physical therapy checkup – Think of your physical therapist as the mechanic for your body. Give your knees and body a regular checkup. We evaluate themovement ofyour jointsandpreventproblems before they reallybegin to develop. Regular visits to your physical therapist can make a difference in the long-term health of your knee joints and keep you from spending a fortune on more expensive and invasive procedures.
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Calypsobeans(alsocalledYin/Yangbeans)withtheirblack&whitecontrastingcolorsmakethisanexotic-looking dish. Both the cumin and the fibers from properly-cooked beans are associated with weight loss, blood sugar control, and healthier cholesterol balance (but that can remain our secret). Serves 4-6. Caribbean Orca Bean Salad Recipe
INGREDIENTS • 1 cup fresh/frozen green beans cut into 1” lengths • 1½ cups dried beans, soaked overnight in water to cover • 1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar/2 (15 oz) cans pinto beans, small white beans, and/or
• 3 celery ribs, halved and sliced thin • ½ cup chopped green onions • ½ cup raw apple cider vinegar • ¼ cup olive or avocado oil • 4 garlic cloves, finely minced • 2 tsp dried oregano • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper • 1 tsp ground cumin • ¼ tsp dried mustard • ½ cup fresh, chopped cilantro
black beans rinsed & drained • 1 cup chopped yellow pepper • ½ cup chopped red onion
INSTRUCTIONS Rinse the beans. If using dried-soaked beans, add to about 6 cups of water, bring to a boil, then simmer 1 - 1½ hours until cooked but not mushy. Rinse and cool. Bring a pot of water to boil and quickly blanch the green beans for less than 1 minute. Strain through a colander and allow to cool while assembling the rest of the salad. Mix the pinto and black beans, the chopped pepper, red onion and celery plus the cooled green beans in a glass storage container. Create the salad dressing by combining the vinegar, oil, and spices except the cilantro. Marinate at least over night, then stir in the freshly chopped cilantro and serve. Enjoy every healthy bite! Find more healthy recipe makeovers at www.OurNutritionKitchen.com Contributed by Marie Cecchini Sternquist, MS CHHC who uses Functional Nutrition and Nutrition Response Testing to address inflammatory processes that prevent true healing.
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